Despite being convinced that they were going to be given good news, a consultant told them: "I’m sorry to tell you but we’ve identified a mass in Hope’s stomach. It’s very possible Hope has a type of childhood cancer."

Viewers watching at home found the scenes so difficult to watch that some threatened to stop watching the ITV1 soap.

Fiz Brown and her partner Tyrone Dobbs have been told daughter Hope has cancer (Image: ITV)

Taking to her Twitter account, Ella Barker wrote: "Coronation street is gonna get so sad omg idk if I'll carry on watching it."

Another fan, named Becky Coles, commented: "Really not pleased with the Coronation Street storyline."

Lauren Collins then added: "Coronation Street has broke my heart! Can't imagine what it would like to find out news like that."

While Corrie fans have made it clear that they are going to find this storyline tough to watch, actress Jennie McAlpine, who plays Fiz, spoke out earlier today to praise the show's script writers for plucking up the courage to difficult such a painful subject.

Speaking on This Morning, she said: "When they said they were going to do this storyline ... Obviously you think, oh gosh - but we've had such brilliant feedback and lovely messages from parents and families who've got children going through it or have had children going through cancer.

"I've met some incredible and I've had messages with families saying thank you for raising awareness - because Corrie raises awareness like nothing else.

"People watch the news and it doesn't resonate but if you see someone on Corrie with something that's touched your life or might be touching a friend's life you think, oh yeah."